Morgan Freeman accused of sexual harassment

aka… Morgan Freeman.

Some of the incidents were just a few years back.

Uggh. I’ve said it before – Hollywood needs a work stoppage. Like 6 months to stop work on everything (give them a few months to prepare and change movie/TV schedules so they can stagger release dates and such) except focusing on allowing any and every victim to come forward and tell their stories, and real permanent change in policies and practices to make it no longer possible to ignore or sweep-under-the-rug harassment and abuse. Something like a permanent independent agency, funded by all the studios, unions, etc., that can be contacted by anyone and will independently investigate every accusation, with the power to issue fines, suspensions, and even expellations, to organizations and individuals, along with reporting to and cooperating with law enforcement.

You were scooped:

https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=855392

Makes me think of the old adage about how you should never meet your heroes, sad stuff.

silly me, I searched for a thread with his name in the title

At least your OP, unlike the other one, makes the subject matter clear.

Scoops!

I always thought I would have to remove the “I wish Morgan Freeman narrated my life” sticker from my bumper when the guy died, not when I found out that he’s been a disgusting lech for years. :mad:

Okay, MF is an ass.

But the “I wish I could have been there” remark, he was clearly talking about he wished he could have been there when his friend congratulated a fat lady on being pregnant.

Why the hell would you put that in there? It only gives the nay sayers something to latch onto.

Are you reading a different article? Because I don’t see anything like that in the CNN article:

I didn’t read the article. I watched the video clip of the alleged incident.

This one hurts. Morgan Freeman always gave the impression of being a gentleman. I guess he was a good actor.

Ugh, I hate that guy.

Nothing shocks me anymore.

Well, if Mike Rowe gets called out one day I will lose all hope. It seems entirely possible. He sometimes has real chemistry with his subjects and you wonder if there’s maybe a date or two once the episode is shot. I’m dead certain he’s gone dancing with one in particular.

My ex had a major crush on him. I’m sure she’s not alone. Lol.

The “you are ripe” is pretty clearly a comment on how pregnant someone is, though still a little gross it’s not a sexual comment. I agree, when you include stuff like this “naysayers” may wonder how much of the other stuff is bullshit.

The skirt touching/lifting kinda leaves little doubt though.

I’m not clear what your intended result from this is, but it isn’t as if there is any single sweeping change that is going to make everyone who has been subjected to abuse whole or eliminate abusive behavior once and for all. The entertainment industry, with its loose, mostly contract-based employment and powerful figures who can make or break careers, is particularly prone to this kind of chronic abuse and should make a better effort to police itself, it is hardly unique and the notion of setting up some kind of “permanent independent agency” with plenary authority to “issue fines, suspensions, and even expellations” is just inviting another opportunity for more abuse. The problem of sexual harrassment and the use of influence to suppress abusive behavior is a cultural one that goes far beyond entertainment industry.

As for Freeman and others, we’re going to have to come to terms with the fact that this behavior has been previously accepted and tacitly encouraged for decades, and many prominent figures in entertainment (and govenment, business, education, sports, et cetera) have regularly committed what would now be regarded as henious acts of harrassment and humiliation even if they don’t rise to the level of sexual assault. That someone is a popular entertainer in public but demonstrated less than savory behavior out of public view has been accepted in the past requires a deeper change than just purging the ranks or pretending that it is only limited to a handful of serial predators like Cosby and Weinstein. And this is hardly the last or even most egregious offender that will come to light. (I’m still waiting for Sean Penn to get his due.)

Stranger

It may not be a perfect solution, but the idea that we’re just going to gradually get better doesn’t fly with me. There hasn’t been a social advance that came about without some major pain and major change in policy and practice. Right now the little guys and gals have virtually no power if they are harassed or abused. Something needs to change, in a major way, such that they feel 100% empowered to come forward, without fear of professional consequence, as long as they’re being truthful.

[Moderating]

Two threads, one with a lot of discussion but a vague title and a link-only OP, the other with only a little discussion but a clear title and content in the OP. What’s a mod to do?

Hm, will this work?